MUTARE– Underprivileged residents aged below 10 and above 60 will receive free medical services for two days courtesy of The Citizwean Clinic, a crowd-funded initiative started by a Zimbabwean living in the United States.
By Donald Nyarota
The Citizwean Clinic, which opened its doors last month in Bulawayo, has already attended to hundreds of patients and Mutare residents will get their turn to receive free medication from 6 to 7 December in Chikanga.
In Mutare,the Citizwean Clinic will be at Combined Healthcare Services, in the high-density suburb of Chikanga, to help the less privilege members of society who cannot afford medical care.
In an interview with 263Chat Wellington Mahohoma, volunteer coordinator said the aim of this initiative is to assist vulnerable members of society in need of medical attention but failing to access it due a number of reasons, particularly the impasse between doctors and the government.
He said the move is part of a broad initiative by citizens both local and in the diaspora to respond to the needs of the less privileged during times of distress.
“The idea was formulated after the impasse between government and doctors became prolonged, it became apparent that the vulnerable members who rely on public hospitals needed assistance.
“We are targeting the elderly, children from low income areas and ask for help from citizens and those living in the diaspora to donate in cash or kind.
“So apart from accessing medical practitioners those underprivileged when they have been treated and given prescriptions we will also chip in and assist with the purchase of prescribed medication,” said Mahohoma.
Reverend Abel Waziwei of Anglican Church of the Manicaland Diocese applauded the efforts of diasporans as a noble initiative to rescue fellow residents who are failing to access basic medical care.
Rev Waiziwei said lack of medication in public hospital has been compounded by cash shortages before appealed to the leaders of the initiative to cascade it to rural areas.
“It’s a noble cause because most of the people that they are targeting cannot afford to go to private hospitals, and the coming of this initiative will come as a relief to a lot of people.
“As things stand, people are under distress because they are no medicines in public hospitals.
“Our hope is that such a noble initiative is cascaded to rural areas because there is also a need for such relief,” said Rev Waiziwei.
